The finished script is below.
There were a couple of minor changes that occurred due to practicalities, time, lack of crew, lack of props, and overall organisation. Unfortunately, when i got back to Leeds and was ready to film, a taxi sign that i had ordered had been sent to London and was too late to get it back up so the car that was used as a taxi doesn't have the prop!
The first scene was shot in the studio theatre, I'd pushed my friends car in and set up lighting with the green screen. The actor (Aryeh) and actress (Daisy) I had help on the camera with Tom Bone, help with lighting from Phil Jones and assistance from Chris Lloyd who also stood in for the taxi driver.
I used 3 650W Arri lights, one on the left of the car, one on the right with a red gel to replicate a romantic atmosphere, one in front of the car with a flag to soften the light. I struck 1 Dedo light on the back of the car to create the effect of a car behind with its headlights hitting the car. I placed 1 other Dedo light on the green screen to illuminate it.
The house party scene was particularly difficult to film for various reasons. First of all it was difficult within itself to get people to turn up as 1. it was a week before dissertation and in, 2. Only Leeds college of art students were around, no Leeds Uni or Met, and 3. the weather was so poor it was non stop raining.
There was no time for excuses tho, i was able to get a couple people to turn up to my friends house where she's thrown a house party before, which inspired me to ask her to use her house as the location because if the size.
From the outside of the house (it was very black with very little ambient lighting) i couldnt risk placing a light source of my own outside as it would get damaged. I had 1 Arri 650W light in the wall way with a hint of yellow to welcome the house party guests into a warm environment. In the main room itself, I stuck flashing LED lights to the wall using sellotape. I'd placed two large Arri 650W lights either side of the dj decks with a blue and red gel but the too much tungsten light was being spilt. They also made the room hot and a bit too bright. Instead i used two Dedo lights either side of the dj decks, one with a blue gel and one with a red to capture a nervous and excited atmosphere that would lead to the romantic scene of the taxi. I was also able to get hold of two large LED flashing disco lights that poured out pink/blue/red coloured lights. As well as this, i positioned a laser onto the ceiling and rented a projector to fill one of the walls with visual effects with the help of a Vis Com student, Harri Smith.
I provided beers and everyone bought their own drinks. One of the biggest regrets i have is allowing people to drink so early without feeling so prepared myself. I struggled to get my point across at times, therefore, managing to skip some important shots for continuity, as well as a whole scene where Aryeh was supposed to have a nervy conversation with his friend in the bathroom. It was during this night where i realised the enormous task i'd set myself.
I had the help of Tom Stephens and Chris Lloyd who were extremely useful, but due to dissertation they had to leave early which is when I felt the pressure. This meant i didnt get enough takes for some shots, i wasn't demanding enough and was extremely tired from setting up so i was quite happy at the time to finish quicker.
I had to improvise a fair bit during the last scene. For starters, i was on my own to shoot the whole scene. I didn't have a car and none of my friends that drive were around, so i couldnt show Daisy and Aryeh getting out the taxi. One of my house mates who i'd wanted to use her room to shoot had to go out so I had to use another room, and the jib that would create the panning upwards shot from the door to the first floor was too small.
During my one hour panic before my actors were arriving, i set up an Arri 650W light with a green gel on the top floor in my house mates room next door to mine. This would create a hyper-intense eerie atmosphere, especially looking at the window from the outside of the house. I placed a Dedo light with a red gel downstairs in the hall to set the 'supposedly' love scene.
As Daisy and Aryeh run up the stairs, i follow them with the camera and into my room, which is Daisy's room for the scene. I decided to light the halls with the ambient lighting installed in the house. When Daisy reaches the top of the stairs she turns it off to enhance the green light coming from the room next door, and the red light coming from her room.
To add an interested effect to the film, i placed a mirror in Daisy's room, that reflected a mirror in the room next door, which further reflected my housemate replicating a dead corpse in the wardrobe with the pink handcuffs on. The story ends with Aryeh being freaked out by this and running out. Diasy is in her bathroom at this point, at the time i through it was appropriate to keep the bathroom light on, but instead i regretted not under lighting her to add to the sinister character she plays.
Diasys room was lit with 2 Dedo lghts, one with a red gel, and the other with a light cold blue to cancel out the intense red.
COP3 PRACTICAL
SHORT FILM
BY YONI COHEN
DRAFT 5. 08/01/2014
Scene 1
EXT. HOUSEPARTY, DRIVEWAY, ESTABLISHING – NIGHT
People gathered
outside the front of the houseparty smoking and talking. Loud music blurting
out, colourful lights flashing inside the main room of the house can be seen
outside. People talking and music make up the background noise.
Aryeh and Sam
(best friend), facing away from the house, are smoking and drinking outside. The
Camera holds still, positioned from across the road. The camera starts to track
towards Aryeh and Sam, as it reaches them they turn and throw away their ciggs.
Aryeh downs the rest of his beer and chucks his cig on the floor. Aryeh passes his
finished beer to Sam who grabs it, looks over at Aryeh, then scrunches it up
and throws it on the floor. Both laughing as they head inside.
As they enter the
house, two girls (Daisy and her friend) are standing in the hallway leaning up against
the wall by the entrance to the main room. Aryeh and Sam walk past and Aryeh’s
head turns continuously as he becomes star struck whilst catching Daisy’s eye
and before it’s too late, he gets barged into by a random guy. Sam is buzzing
to be there as they head straight towards the toilet.
Scene 2
INT. HOUSEPARTY, HALLWAY – NIGHT
The boys are
waiting for the toilet. Aryeh is bursting and starts fiddling around with the
doorknob, trying to hold himself together. Sam is leaning up against the wall
bopping his head to the music and enjoying the moment.
ARYEH
Come on, come on..!
The door is locked
with someone in there but he continues knocking. Aryeh looks over at Sam
ARYEH (cont’d)
Is he taking the piss?
The door slowly
opens. At first we can only see the eyes of the person behind the door. As it
swings open, to Aryeh’s delight, it’s the big bouncer who’s staring directly
back into Aryeh’s eyes. The Bouncer barges his way through Aryeh and Sam,
causing Sam to spill his drink.
INT. HOUSEPARTY, BATHROOM – NIGHT
Aryeh leaps to the
toilet first before Sam gets a chance. Sam follows him in and locks the door. Aryeh
takes a piss and closes his eyes to maximise the full sensation.
SAM
Did you see the way she was looking at you..?!
ARYEH
What do you mean?
As Aryeh opens his
eyes, he turns his head to (whichever side the sink is) he catches Sam starring
into the mirror that is directly above a sink. Sam is about to piss into it. Aryeh
isn’t happy about this.
ARYEH (cont’d)
What the fuck are you doing I’m almost done?! Enough! Stop!
SAM
She was practically drooling all over you mate. If I were you I
would’ve invited her back to mine. Right there and then!
ARYEH
I dunno, I mean, you think??
Sam and Aryeh swap
their positions, Aryeh washes his hands and Sam goes to the toilet.
SAM
Of course I think. Mate! She was digging! Where the hell’s your
confidence gone?
ARYEH
Don’t wind me up, not now please. You remember what happened
with Steph that one time...
SAM
Sam looks confused
and mutters
(What? Steph?)
SAM CONT’D
FUCK STEPH! I know girls can be crazy but this ones well up for
it!
ARYEH
Err I’m not fucked enough, you got any more drink?
SAM
Yeah! take some.. Any more and I’ll be on the floor!
Aryeh takes a
swing and almost chokes at the strength of the drink
ARYEH
What the hell is this? Another one of your famous cocktail’s?
SAM
If speed and Red Bull combined to make a drink, this would
probably be stronger! Trust me! Neck this n let’s go inside. The party wont
kick itself off!
Scene 3
INT. HOUSEPARTY, MAINROOM – NIGHT
Aryeh and Sam exit
the bathroom and head to the main room. The music increases in volume. Sam has
already made his way to the main room before Aryeh.
Aryeh slowly opens
the door to the main room and pops his head through. Sam is standing inside by
the entrance next to a table with drinks on it and grabs a beer. Sam’s looks to
the side and notices Aryeh’s head peeping through the door. Aryeh Acknowledges
Sam who is standing by him, anticipates the ‘all clear nod’ from Sam.
Aryeh shuffles his
way into the room and joins Sam, who both take a minute to scan the room with
their eyes.
Aryeh with his new
found confidence (the drink has kicked in) makes his way around the room
scouting for girls. People are dancing. Cuts into montage clips of close ups
and medium shots of the lights, girls dancing, Daisy dancing, DJ etc. Close up
of Daisy making gestures to Aryeh, enticing/manipulating him, Aryeh’s looking
back at her, OTS of both looking at one another.
Aryeh dances
closer to Daisy. Aryeh offers Daisy his drink, she sips it, accidently touching
of hands, pulling of his t-shirt to bring eachother closer, extreme close ups
of eyes looking up at eachother.
As the tension builds
up to them kissing, Sam, who is quite over the top drunk, accidently knocks
into Aryeh so they don’t kiss. A taxi is parked outside the house which is visible
through the window. A Champaign bottle is on the window seal that hasn’t been
opened yet.
ARIEH
DO you want to go somewhere quieter?
Aryeh and Daisy –
taxi waiting outside. Aryeh grabs the bottle of Champaign on his way out.
Scene 4
INT. TAXI – NIGHT
As they walk
towards the taxi, Aryeh grabs Daisy’s hand as she fluffs around with her hair.
Aryeh then opens the back door for Daisy. She slides into the far side of the
passenger seat, and Aryeh follows her in.
ARYEH
Hi mate can you take us back to…
The taxi driver
nods (speaks with his eyes)
Daisy acknowledges
Aryeh’s control of the situation so decides to kick her heals off, lift her
feet up and wrap her legs around Aryeh on the back seats.
She starts running
her hands through Aryeh’s hair, kisses his neck and whispers to Aryeh.
DAISY
(whispers) let’s go back to mine
ARYEH
yeh, what’s your address?
DAISY
(Whispers again) Thank you... (names the address)
The Taxi driver
interrupts their moment together.
Taxi Driver
There’s no way your opening that in here!
Daisy places the
bottle of Champaign in her bag without looking. The bag is slightly open,
however she doesn’t realise her pink handcuffs are poking out the bag.
ARYEH
You tell him...
Daisy looks at
Aryeh and runs her hand down
His thigh. She
lifts her skirt up a tiny bit.
ARYEH
(Repeats address to taxi driver)
Montage shots of
hand going up thigh, hands touching, hands running through hair, kissing,
biting lips, Aryeh’s eyes closed, Diasy eyes start to open and semi start to
look outside the taxi to see where she is.
Scene 5
EXT. DAISY’s HOUSE, DRIVEWAY -- NIGHT
Taxi
pulls up to the. Diasy gets out first to pull her skirt down, reaches for Aryeh’s
hand.
Diasy turns
away from the taxi and faces her house whilst checking she has her key. Aryeh
faces the taxi driver to pay him. Daisy’s face lights up when she reaches her
key, as does Aryeh’s face when he accidently pulls out a condom.
As Aryeh
turns to face the house, Diasy has her hand out waiting for him to follow her
in. The camera follows them from the street side to her doorstep. Before she
enters she looks around to see if anyone notices them. The front door shuts and
the camera is left still outside.
They
flirt inside, laughing amongst eachother. They quickly move upstairs and the camera
pans up at the same speed as Aryeh and Daisy walking up the stairs, this shot cuts
when both the camera and the characters reach the first floor of the house.
Whilst the camera holds outside the window of the bathroom, a light from
outside gives away pink handcuffs attached to someone’s hands.
Cut to scene
inside on the first floor where they are making out, leaning up against the
door of the bathroom. He spills his drink.
INT. DAISY’S HOUSE, SECOND FLOOR -- NIGHT
ARYEH
It’s all over me
DAISY
Don’t worry about it
ARYEH
Are you mad, this is my favourite shirt!
DAISY
I think it looks hot, I love a bit of blood on a mans shirt.
Aryeh gives her a
strange look
DAISY (cont’d)
I’ll get you a towel...
Aryeh turns around
and looks at the bathroom door So he opens the door, looks inside and a dead
corpse of a person hanging.
ARYEH
(mutters to himself)
What the fuck I can’t believe this
